Beowulf is an epic hero who is strong, brave, and courageous. However, the reasons why he fights evil is only to gain fame and reputation, not for moral reasons. Yet Beowulf is still the ultimate victor every time. In the epic poem, Beowulf the major theme is how good always defeats evil no matter the reason.
Most of the battles in Beowulf are based on fate, and they are for Beowulf’s reputation. These battles are between Beowulf and a demon or monster. The reason that Beowulf only fights these types of enemies and not other men or tribes is because it shows Beowulf’s supernatural might, strength, and courage. As a result, Beowulf is depicted as an even greater hero because he can fight the even demons and monster of the world making him superior
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to all other heroes. However, the driving force as to why Beowulf battles against these enemies is to become the greatest hero known and because he has a debt he owes to Hrothgar. Beowulf doesn’t decide to fight these enemies because of his own good heart, but because of an obligation to be the best hero there is who face any monster. In addition, Beowulf believes in continuing to fight evil again and again even when he knows he could be defeated because he believes God has already determined his fate. All of the conflicts in Beowulf are distinctly black and white.
The ultimate good, who is Beowulf, versus the ultimate evil which are the demons and monsters he fights. It is undebatable whether the types of enemies Beowulf fights are good or evil and it is also clear that Beowulf is the ultimate hero. These types of clear distinctions help to make the theme have more meaning and significance. If it were an unclear hero who may also be bad, or if the enemies the hero fights could also be good it would go against the theme and creates ambiguity. However, because of the black-and-white conflict in Beowulf, the theme that good always defeats evil is reinforced because the ultimate good always beats even the worst evil there is. As for the minor battle against Unferth, good wins again because in the beginning of the story, Unferth is evil and contrasts Beowulf. Yet later in the story, Unferth becomes an ally of Beowulf’s. At the end of the story, Beowulf’s final battle shows his undying courage to fight evil even though he is old and getting weaker. Just when the reader is starting to believe that the ultimate good in the story is fading, Wiglaf comes to restore the good and continue to fight the evil; once again proving that good will always defeat
evil. Overall, the theme in Beowulf is that good will always defeat evil. Even when the ultimate good fades away, a new hero is restored to fight evil. No matter the reason behind the hero’s fighting, good will always defeat even the ultimate evil in the world.
Unferth is son of Ecglaf, who spoke bitterly and sharp of Beowulf’s adventure. Unferth announces, “You’ve been lucky in your battles, beowulf, but i think your luck may change if you challenge Grendel, staying a whole night in his hall, waiting where that fiercest of demons can find you” (Burton Raffel 8). To illuminate, Unferth is utilizing a tone of jealousy toward Beowulf, and he envies him, because no one in Denmark has ever acquired glory and fame greater than Beowulf. Unferth came up with an evil plan, challenging Beowulf to defeat the powerful monster, Grendel. However, Beowulf proves Unferth wrong, by explaining the real truth. Beowulf claims, “What man, anywhere under heaven’s high arch, has fought in such darkness, endured more misery, or been harder pressed? Yet i survived the sea, smashed the monsters’ hot jaws, swam home from my journey” (Burton Raffel 9). To interpret, Beowulf implies a tone of confidence. Beowulf expressed, that he fought nine giant sea monsters in the darkness, showing good vs. evil. There is no other man who could have survived the sea of evil creatures and still make it home after his
Beowulf, the great Geatish warrior, lives a very adventurous life filled with many voyages, battles, and victories. Through all of these events, he meets various people who are considered to be heroes like himself. These heroes, however, are unable to have the same abilities and characteristics of Beowulf. His great achievements cannot be matched by anything that they have done in their lives. Beowulf is a superior hero to Hrothgar, Unferth, and Wiglaf in the epic of Beowulf because he kills every monster that he fights, becomes a widely feared warrior and king, and dies in battle completing his final heroic act.
The most important events in Beowulf’s life seem to all be a matter of Dichotomy. Good versus evil. Beowulf encounters perilous monsters throughout his life that no man or woman would ever stand a chance of defeating. Beowulf embodies the classic storybook hero, whom is built with a strong body and a pure heart. Throughout this epic, Beowulf must harness his heroic body and pure heart into destroying the forces of evil in the world.
Beowulf by far endures more than the average person as the poem progresses. He is faced with daunting challenges of defeating three monsters that would kill any other man. Beowulf exemplifies bravery by never backing down no matter what the threat was. He was loyal by honoring his promises of keeping those around him safe and alive. And finally, his unwavering confidence helped him push through the toughest confrontations. These traits and the fights with the three different monsters are what genuinely make Beowulf a hero.
In the epic poem Beowulf, the struggle between good and evil reveals its omnipresence in even the oldest of tales. The many allusions and symbols throughout the story relate to Christianity and other Pagan beliefs. By looking at them, it becomes apparent that the author of Beowulf believed that the constant war between good and evil is not only fought by the common man but also in the ranks of their highest esteemed rulers and warriors, and even in their dreaded nightmares where monsters lurk and wait for the death of man. Beowulf was written during the budding of Christianity in England, when it was newly forming. In the story there are obvious references to Christian rituals.
...ash between good and evil. Beowulf is a representation of a Godly figure, possibly Christ, whereas his enemies represent figures of darkness, possibly Satan. Due to his battle with Grendel, Beowulf realises the true abilities of Gods power and develops into a more Saint like character who is more concerned with giving help rather than Gaining fame. He seeks Gods guidance, but looks to pagan ideals when he deems so. Although he never completely takes complete advantage of Gods power, he does earn the fame and glory that he fought bravely for.
Through Beowulf’s battles against those three evil monsters, Grendel, Gendel’s mother and the fierce dragon, exposes the major theme in the epic, “Good vs. Evil”. Beowulf, the epic hero remains loyal to his kingdom and his people. He performs God’s duty to eliminate all the evil forces in order to save God’s people. His victories on Grendel and his mother show the power of goodness prevails evil. Even though he sacrifices himself, the evil dragon is killed in the end. His heroic death is fulfilled with glory and praise. Work Cited Beowulf. Trans. by Burton
At the beginning of the novel, Beowulf represents a savage warrior, displaying mostly his strength and bravery by defeating Grendel and his mother. However, as Beowulf ages, he begins to change into a different kind of hero. After becoming King of the Geats, Beowulf matured and took on more of a leadership role in the community, as opposed to a warrior. Even though Beowulf was still a hero, he began to lead an army of geats and acted for the good of the people. In both cases however, Beowulf was respected by others for his admirable
Beowulf displayed great courage and honor throughout his journeys and battles; he was an epic hero. An epic hero is a person who is viewed as larger than life and possesses values of a certain society. From the time of Beowulf’s battle with Grendel to his brawl against the dragon, he has showed everyone what being an honorable hero looks like. His heroism is revealed through both youth as a young warrior and wisdom as a reliable king. He never backed down and didn’t give up when situations were tough. Beowulf had obligations to fulfill and went about every aspect of his life with courage and strength. He cared for his people and was willing to take on anyone that threatened them or his kingdom. He sincerely was the hero of his time.
Every culture has many stories and poems to represent what they believe in, and what they look for in a hero. The heroes written in these stories and myths are brave, and are leaders. However, every hero comes with a flaw or two. The epic poem Beowulf by Seamus Heaney, has an extraordinary hero named Beowulf. Beowulf was a hero to the Anglo-Saxons which were fierce warriors who fought a lot. Beowulf fights many brutal monsters and threats in his days, but the most barbaric of them all is the inside threat within him. Beowulf had a big ego, and focused more on creating a name for himself than thinking about the real risks ahead. Two of his major battles that he faced along with his internal peril was against the dragon, and the beast Grendel.
The epic poem Beowulf tells the story of a man by the name of Beowulf that goes through events that prove how heroic he is. Throughout the poem, Beowulf endures three battles. In the first, he battles the monster Grendel. In the second, he battles Grendel's mother. In the end he battles an enraged dragon. With each battle, Beowulf finds increasing difficulty in his opponent, but prevails and saves both the Danes and the Geats from all being killed by monsters. In each battle, Beowulf proves that he is worthy of having the title of a hero.
Beowulf is the protagonist of his own self titled story. He brags and boasts quite a lot but some may argue that is for good reason because he is the strongest warrior around. He fights fearsome creature frequently and does not fear them just as they do not fear him, until they know what he is capable of. He is the bravest of the brave. Even if there is a moment of fear, Beowulf’s occasional weapon (maybe a friend too), but mostly his quick wit comes to his aid and he defeats the beast.
For as long as time, life has been full of opposites. Up and down, hot and cold, black and white. Opposites are what keep the world around us growing, they are necessary to human development and advancement. As poet William Blake once said, “Without contraries is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence.” In the epic poem “Beowulf” we focus on the topic “good versus evil” and how those opposites attract. “Beowulf” is an epic poem from the Old English literature period. However, the author is unknown because it was passed down through oral tradition. The epic poem “Beowulf” describes the most heroic man of the Anglo-Saxon times. The hero, Beowulf, is a seemingly invincible
Beowulf, A New Telling by Robert Nye, shows how that although he had many weaknesses, by acknowledging them they became his strengths. Beowulf cages his own evil, and by doing so, he allows himself to fight the other evils of the world. Beowulf, although he had his own evil, chains it. This separates him from the evil beings of the story, such as Grendel and She, and allows him to fight them without losing his life.
As well as exhibiting all of what a true epic hero must, Beowulf does many great deeds in battle, which only adds to his heroic ...